Updated on: November 30, 2025 / 9:14 PM EST / CBS/AP
Pope Leo XIV concluded a visit to Turkey Sunday before flying to Lebanon to offer a message of hope to its people and support for the country’s Christian community. In Turkey, he preached themes of peace and unity within Catholicism and more broadly.
In Istanbul, Leo prayed at the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral and celebrated a divine liturgy with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, who had invited the pope to mark an important Christian anniversary. Processing into the Armenian cathedral amid incense and chanted hymns, Leo praised the “courageous Christian witness of the Armenian people throughout history, often amid tragic circumstances,” a measured reference to the World War I-era slaughter of Armenians that Turkey disputes. Earlier, he also visited the Ottoman-era Blue Mosque, pausing in silence out of respect for those at prayer.
Leo’s stop in Lebanon comes as the small Mediterranean country remains mired in crises after years of political, economic and social collapse. The visit fulfills a promise by Pope Francis, who had intended to go but could not because of his health. Francis often invoked St. John Paul II’s 1989 remark that Lebanon is more than a country — it is a “message” of fraternity and coexistence. Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system names a Maronite Christian president, a Sunni Muslim prime minister and a Shiite parliamentary speaker; Christians make up roughly a third of the population in a Muslim-majority country.
The Vatican has long viewed Lebanon as a regional bulwark for Christianity, though ancient Christian communities have dwindled amid conflict and economic hardship. Leo is expected to urge Lebanese to remain or to consider returning if they emigrated, and to prod local leaders toward accountability. “The Holy Father is coming at a very difficult moment for Lebanon and for our region,” said Bishop George, archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut, adding that the visit signals Lebanon is not forgotten and may bring hope amid fears of renewed war with Israel.
Lebanon’s hardships include a 2019 financial collapse that eroded savings and triggered shortages of electricity, fuel and medicine. The devastating Aug. 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion killed 218 people, wounded thousands and caused billions in damage; investigations have repeatedly stalled and no one has been convicted. On Dec. 2, the final day of his visit, Leo plans to spend time in silent prayer at the blast site and meet some victims — a moment many hope will press for truth and justice.
The region’s security situation remains volatile. The Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel and the ensuing Gaza war escalated tensions. Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant and political group, engaged in fighting with Israel that evolved into a wider conflict in September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people in Lebanon and inflicting widespread destruction. Though a U.S.-brokered ceasefire nominally ended that war two months later, Israel continues frequent airstrikes aimed at preventing Hezbollah from rearming.
Residents and political actors confront mixed expectations. “The pope is coming to bless us and for the sake of peace,” said Farah Saadeh, a Beirut resident. Hezbollah urged the pope to denounce what it called injustice and aggression against Lebanon, a reference to Israeli strikes, and asked supporters to line the papal convoy route to pay respects. Hezbollah has alliances with some Christian parties, such as the Free Patriotic Movement and Marada Movement, while the Lebanese Forces, the largest Christian parliamentary bloc, opposes Hezbollah and blames it for dragging Lebanon into war.
Syria’s recent turmoil also colors the visit. After a yearlong offensive that ousted autocratic President Bashar Assad last December, Syria has seen sectarian violence and attacks on minorities, including a June suicide bombing at a Damascus church. Though the new government condemns attacks on minorities, critics say it fails to control allied militias. A delegation of roughly 300 Syrian Christians, led by a Greek Melkite Catholic priest, planned to travel to Lebanon to join a youth meeting with the pope and attend a public mass on Beirut’s waterfront. “We are in need of someone like the pope to come and give us hope as Christians,” said 24-year-old Dima Awwad, adding that Syrians want the pope to visit their country as well.
Leo is also set to meet Lebanese youth, offering encouragement amid widespread disillusionment and a sustained exodus. Observers hope his words will acknowledge young people’s frustrations with failed leadership while inspiring them to invest in Lebanon’s future. Many Lebanese see the papal visit as a rare sign of international attention and a potential catalyst for moral pressure on political elites to pursue accountability and reform.
